They’re off in a blur of yellow. It was the annual duck race last weekend from Ferry Road bridge to raise money for the nearby Rye pre-school playgroup – along with other attractions. Town Crier Rex Swain was there to see them off, but he was busy quacking away to a rather larger duck from the Health Club.
However his Mrs (Rita) will probably forgive him as they have just celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary with a party at the Hope Anchor and the Queen’s congratulations.
But after 60 years of marriage, Rex – whose voice still seems as loud as ever as he escorts wedding parties from the Town Hall – is getting on in years – 84, allegedly – and he has been Town Crier since 2000.
The Town Council is therefore thinking ahead and setting out to recruit a Town Crier Designate therefore, as well as looking at the terms and conditions for both the Town Crier and Deputy Town Crier posts.
Meanwhile the little yellow ducks kept bobbing along as the current carried them downstream – but they were probably intercepted before they got out to sea.
Photo: Gillian Roder